Locomotive stoker



y ,1937. c. P. HU'BLER LOCO MOTIVE STOKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed A ril 5, 1928 -May 25, 1937'. c. P. HUBLER LOCOMOTIVE STQKER Original, Filed April 5, 1928.

2 Shets-Sheet 2 QMQE ATTORNEY Patented May 25, 1937 PATENT OFFICE LOCOMO-TIVE STOKER Charles P. Hubler, East Stroudsburg, Pa., as-

signor, by mesne assignments, to The Standard Stoker Company, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Application April 5, 1928, Serial No. 267,543

Renewed September 5, 1935 5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements (in methods and means for stoking fires, and more especially to an improved form of stoker for railroad locomotives.

An object of the invention is to provide a stoker with an automatic means for conveying fuel through a firing opening.

Another object is to provide a swinging fuel elevator that can be swung into and out of position.

A further object is to provide means for forcing the fuel across the blower jet onto a scattering platform, this being accomplished with but a single elevator.

Still another object is to minimize the weight on the locomotive wheels by mounting the stoker engine on the tender and then transmitting the power across to the elevator on the locomotive.

Another object of my invention resides in an improvement in stokers having offset conveyers, which improvement consists in providing a gear train at the rear of the tender conveyer opera tively connected therewith, supplying motive power to such gear train and providing a power take-off shaft from such gear train, said shaft extending along the tender conveyer and at its forward end being operatively connected to the lower rearward end of a conveyer delivering to the locomotive firebox, which conveyer is offset from the tender conveyer.

Yet another object is to provide a method and means of fuel distribution which includes the use of a centrally-located fuel conveyer, forcing the fuel directly against a single, central elevator, the

- fuel being thereafter forced over a blower jet.

All these and other objects, as suggested below, are attained with the method and means herebelow described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section showing the essential mechanism of the stoker in its relation to the tender and the locomotive cab; Fig. 2, a transverse sectional view taken on line 2-2"of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a top plan view, with parts shown in section, of the assembled device, taken through the plane 3-3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4, a combined sectional and elevational view through plane 44 of Fig. 3.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The stoker mechanism is positioned partly in the locomotive cab 10, and partly in the tender II. It consists essentially of a vertically-swinging elevator comprising a casing I2, surrounding a revolvable screw conveying-member I3, mountvertical fuel conveyer I3.

ed in bearings in casing I2, and substantially along its longitudinal axis.

There is a flat surface on the outside of easing I2 at I4, Fig. 1, and in contact with this surface is a threaded adjusting member I5, mounted in the fire box wall I6, this member I5 being adapted to be turned to move the entire conveyer-casing I2, with its attendant parts, toward and away from the furnace or fire-box wall, thus enabling a close fit to be maintained at I! where the top of the conveyer slides over the fire-door plate l8.

This arrangement not only permits the maintenance of a close fit along joint I1, Fig. 1, but allows the whole elevator casing I2, to be slid back in case of any substantial expansion of the boiler of the locomotive, which would otherwise prevent the free swinging of the elevator.

The fuel is carried from the tender II, and forced directly against the single central swinging elevator I3, in its casing I2, by means of a centrally-located conveyer screw I9, supported in its casing 20, near the locomotive end, by a bearing 2i, and at its opposite end by a sliding clutch connection to its drive shaft 22.

Drive shaft 22 is rotated by a gear 23 keyed to it, and in turn driven by a pinion 24, driven from the stoker engine 25 through a drive shaft 25, Fig. 3, with its universal joints 21.

Immediately below gear 23, Fig. 1, and in mesh with it, is a second driven gear 28 keyed to a drive shaft 29 which in turn drives, through a universal joint 30, a drive shaft 3|, and a pair of bevel gears 32 or other suitable means, the The gear ratios in this complete driving system are such as to feed the fuel along conveyer I9 and up the conveyer elevator I3 at the proper speed.

The elevatorcasing I2 and screw I3 swing in a suitable bearing about an axis coincident with the axis of drive shaft 3|, Figs. 1 and 4.

The coal hopper 33 in tender I I has an opening 34, Figs. 1 and 2, in its floor, immediately beneath which the opening in the horizontal conveyor casing 20, Fig. 2, is flared out, as shown, toreceive the fuel which drops in by gravity.

The arrangement of the swinging elevator I3 is shown clearly in Fig. 4. As previously explained, it pivots about bearings along the axis of shaft 3|. The operator stands on the floor of the cab. I-Ie opens a valve by pressing its springheld stem 35 to admit steam or other power medium to one end of a cylinder 36 to force its piston 31 to the left, as shown in Fig. 4, and so by means of a connecting rod 38 to swing the conveyer casing I2 with its conveyer to the left into the position shown in Fig. 4, thus exposing the fire door hole 39. This swinging movement is against the tension of a spring 4| arranged as shown which normally retains the elevator l2 in front of the fire door opening 39.

A small fire door is used for raking the fire under the boilers and for a small amount of firing, to trim the fire. The spring 4| also keeps the door closed when the cylinder 36 is without steam, air, or other motive power.

From the arrangement thus described it is apparent that the conveying elevator can be swung off to one side to expose the fire-door hole, and also by means of the power cylinder 36 it can be swung back and forth, thus acting as an automatic fire door, opening and closing between each scoop of coal or between each series of scoops.

It will be noted that swinging the elevator i3 does not affect the transmission of power to it through the gevel gears 32, since the axis of shaft 3| coincides with that on which the elevator is swung. It will also be noted that the large flange 42, Fig. 4, prevents spilling of the coal when the elevator is swung over. The elevator screw it revolves slightly during the swinging operation. The purpose of this device is, briefly, to convey and raise fuel to the firing opening of a boiler, and feed the fuel tothe fire in proper amounts, the operations being suitably timed for continuous performance, and being entirely automatic.

One of the most novel features of this construction is the relative location of the blower jets 43, Figs. 1 and 3, and the scattering platform 44 and elevator screw l3. Conveyor |3 forces the coal across the jets 43 and onto platform 44 as shown. This is the first time this has been accomplished in a stoker with a single elevator. Another point of novelty here is the location of the blower jet between the scattering platform and the elevator screw. It will be noted also that the design and arrangement of the fuel elevator I3 is small and low enough to force the coal into the ordinary fire hole without running it too high up in front of the hole.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided for a source of power located in the tender and carried forward to the locomotive to operate the elevating screw and that I force the coal directly into the elevating screw, there being no obstructions beyond the end of the conveying screw.

I have also provided a single elevating screw lying close to the surface of the boiler and having a top fashioned to enable wet coal, which offers more resistance than dry coal, to be readily discharged onto the scattering platform.

It will be noted I have also fashioned the end of the elevating screw to a form which will be efficient in discharging the coal and will not crush or pulverize it.

All the features above go to make a small compact stoker which will feed the fire through a fire hole that in size is safe to withstand explosions and is of a convenient height above the deck.

It is to be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not limited thereto. To those skilled in the art, many modifications of the invention will be readily apparent, and it will also be obvious to such skilled persons that part of the device may be used without other parts thereof, and steps in the method without other steps thereof, many such Combinations of the parts readily suggesting themselves. Therefore, it should be, and is to be distinctly understood that for a definition of the limitations of the invention, reference must be had to the appended claims.

Having now described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which Letters Patent of the United States is desired, is:

1. The combination with a locomotive having a backhead provided with a firing opening therein, of a tender for said locomotive, 'a conduit disposed beneath the deck of the tender, an elevator conduit on the locomotive in communication at its lower end with said first named conduit and at its upper end with said opening, said elevator conduit being arranged to swing laterally about its lower end for moving the upper end thereof from in front of said opening to one side thereof, power means for swinging said elevator conduit and foot actuated means for controlling said power means.

2. In a locomotive having a backhead provided with a firing opening therein, a tender for said locomotive, a conveyor conduit mounted in the tender, an upright conduit on the locomotive in communication at its lower end with the first named conduit and at its upper end with said opening, said upright conduit arranged to be swung laterally into and out of register with said opening about a pivot at its lower end, means for swinging the upright conduit, and elevating means within the upright conduit.

3. In a locomotive having a backhead provided with a firing opening therein, a tender for said locomotive; a conveyor conduit mounted in the tender, an elevator conduit on the locomotive in communication at its lower end with the first named conduit and at its upper end with said firing opening, said elevator conduit arranged to be swung laterally about its lower end into and out of register with said firing opening, means for sealing the portion of the forward end of said conveyor conduit that is out of register with the communicating end of said elevator conduit as the latter swings laterally.

4. The combination with a locomotive having a backhead provided with a firing opening therein, a tender for said locomotive, a conveyor conduit mounted in the tender, an upright conduit on the locomotive in communication at its lower end with the first named conduit and at its upper end with said opening, said upright conduit being substantially parallel with said backhead and arranged to swing about its lower end in a plane parallel to said backhead for moving the upper end thereof from in front of said opening to one side thereof and means for swinging said upright conduit.

5. The combination with a locomotive having a deck and a firebox provided with a backhead having a firing opening therein, a tender for said locomotive, a "conveyor conduit mounted in the tender and extending forwardly therefrom beheath said locomotive deck, a stoker conduit on the locomotive in communication at its lower end with the forward end of said conveyor conduit and extending upwardly through said deck and communicating at its upper end with said firing opening, said stoker conduit being arranged to swing laterally about its lower end for moving the upper end thereof from in front of said firing opening to one side thereof and means for swinging said stoker conduit.

CHARLES P. HUBLER. 

